Sewing machine modification tools

ABSTRACT

A method for editing images representing sewing elements ( 10 ) on a display of a sewing machine ( 1 ) for manipulating images of sewing elements ( 10 ) to be sewn on a fabric ( 2 ) arranged in the sewing machine( 1 ), the method includes the steps, displaying at least one sewing element ( 10 ) image on said display ( 11 ), selecting at least one of said at least one sewing element ( 10 ) image, selecting an image editing function among a predetermined number of base editing functions, setting, by said selecting of an image editing function, members ( 35   a - 35   e ) of a selector group ( 35 ) to toggle to operate manipulator functions corresponding to said selected base function, manipulating said selected image of a sewing element ( 10 ) according to the selected base function by operating at least one of said members ( 35   a - 35   e ) of said selector group ( 35 ). The invention includes a device for performing the method.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method of editing graphics and sewingelements for manipulating sewing elements on a sewing machine. Further,the invention relates to a human-machine interface for performing themethod.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

Conventionally, a sewing machine with an embroidery function has asewing mechanism for forming stitches by driving a needle bar, a threadtake-up lever and a rotary hook. A fabric to be embroidered with thesewing elements is arranged in an embroidery frame, which is moved anddriven by an embroidery frame driving mechanism controlled by aprocessor of the sewing machine based on sewing data for the sewingelements. In embroidering a fabric using the technology currentlyavailable it is possible to use ready designed embroidery elements whichare stored in a memory, either in the sewing machine or an externalmemory unit.

To precisely and clearly being able to adjust graphics and sewingelements with respect to size, rotation, scaling and panning of thesewing elements displayed on a display of the sewing machine a lot ofspace has traditionally been occupied and requested by buttons, icons orother kinds of commanding tools on the display or the area around thedisplay for the interface purposes.

An example of a device for editing patterns containing sewing elementsshown as graphics elements on a display is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,321,670. According to the device shown therein a plurality of buttonsare needed to edit the sewing element, such as separate buttons forsize, rotation and spacing. Furthermore, a plurality of navigationbuttons are used for moving or editing the objects selected on thedisplay in a wanted direction or edited as desired.

Displays of e.g. sewing machines and handheld computers are relativelysmall compared to screens used for personal computers, whereby thedemands on innovative and space-saving solutions are high. On sewingmachines the area of the display must be optimally used to allow for anattractive, creative and user-friendly human-machine interface. Acomplex and full-loaded human-machine interface with keys, text andpictures does not promote the user friendliness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention a method is providedfor editing images representing sewing elements on a display of a sewingmachine for manipulating images of sewing elements to be sewn on afabric arranged in the sewing machine, the method includes the steps of:

-   -   displaying at least one sewing element image on said display,    -   selecting at least one of said at least one sewing element        image,    -   selecting an image editing function among a predetermined number        of base editing functions,    -   setting, by said selecting of an image editing function, members        of a selector group to toggle to operate manipulator functions        corresponding to said selected base function,    -   manipulating said selected image of a sewing element according        to the selected base function by operating at least one of said        members of said selector group.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a humanmachine interface of the sewing machine according to the independentdevice claim.

Further embodiments and aspects of the invention are disclosed in thedependent claims as summarized below.

The method according to the invention thus includes setting said basefunctions to incorporate at least one step from the group of:

-   -   movement of the selected sewing element on the display,    -   rotation of the selected sewing element,    -   scaling the selected sewing element,    -   panning around on the display.

The method further includes arranging each base editing function to berepresented by a toggle button.

The method still further includes arranging said selector group toinclude manipulator buttons for one of:

-   -   moving one or a group of selected sewing element images in a        predetermined direction.    -   rotating one or a group of selected sewing element images an        arbitrary angle.    -   scaling one or a group of selected sewing element images        arbitrarily up or down in size.    -   panning the display in a predetermined direction, while keeping        the selection of sewing element images.

A further aspect of the invention is to provide a human machineinterface arranged on a sewing machine for editing images representingsewing elements on a display associated with the sewing machine formanipulating images of sewing elements to be sewn on a fabric arrangedin the sewing machine, characterized in that associated with saiddisplay is:

-   -   a control member for selecting one or a group of sewing element        images on said display,    -   a predetermined number of base function selectors for toggling        between said base functions,    -   a selector group including selector group members for operating        manipulator functions corresponding to said selected base        function.

Said human machine interface includes said base function selectors beingperformed as toggle buttons.

Still further said human machine interface includes said base functionsrepresenting at least one of:

-   -   movement of the selected sewing element on the display,    -   rotation of the selected sewing element,    -   scaling the selected sewing element,    -   panning around on the display, and        said base function being assigned a specific toggle button.

The human machine interface includes each toggle button setting anoperative function of the selector group.

Still further, the human machine interface includes that said selectorgroup members, in dependence of the set operative function of theselector group, are represented by buttons for any one of:

-   -   moving one or a group of selected sewing element images in a        predetermined direction.    -   rotating one or a group of selected sewing element images an        arbitrary angle.    -   scaling one or a group of selected sewing element images        arbitrarily up or down in size,    -   panning the display in a predetermined direction, while keeping        the selection of sewing element images.

An aspect of the invention is further a sewing machine provided with thehuman machine interface according to any of the embodiments describedabove.

The invention provides a user interface which is optimized both inminimal needed space and maximum usability. By use of the invention thepossibility to create advanced creations on a small area is maximized.The invention further enhances maximal editing flexibility without anyloss of usability or functionality. Further, the working area ismaximized.

Still further, the ergonomics for the user is improved. Anotherimportant feature is the minimization of the number of the buttonsneeded for editing and manipulation the sewing element images on thedisplay.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an example of a sewing machine having a display fordisplaying sewing elements as graphical symbols for an operator of themachine.

FIGS. 2 to 6 shows buttons, in this specific example, performed asgraphical elements on a display area, which preferably is arranged as awindow of the display of the sewing machine.

The different figures show different presentations of the graphicallyillustrated buttons according to different selecting editing modes, suchas movement, rotation, scaling and panning.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A number of embodiments of the invention are described below withreference to the attached drawings.

By way of example of the functioning of a lock stitch sewing machine forperforming the inventive method, FIG. 1 depicts symbolically a sewingmachine 1, where in a conventional manner a fabric 2 is fed forwardbetween a bottom thread 3 and an upper thread 4 in order to execute adesired embroidery comprising stitches effected by means of a needle 5which moves periodically through the fabric 2. In this example, thefabric 2 is moved across a sewing table 6, which also accommodates ahorizontally disposed bottom thread bobbin (not shown) intended for thebottom thread 3 and encased in a gripper (not shown) in a lower arm 1 aof the sewing machine. The sewing table 6 also has a stitch plate, overwhich the actual seam is executed. The upper thread 4 is led via atake-up lever 9, which by a cyclic up and down movement creates a loopof the upper thread 4 when the needle 5, through the eye of which theupper thread runs, has carried the upper thread through the fabric 2 andthe take-up lever 9 reverses back upwards from its lowest position.Conventionally, a gripper tip hooks into the loop when the gripperrotates. To execute a stitch, in this case a lock stitch, the needle 5performs reciprocating movement so that it leads the upper thread 4 downthrough the fabric 2, after which the gripper leads the upper thread 4round the bobbin, which carries the bottom thread 3, resulting in a knotin the fabric 2 when the needle 5 moves up through the fabric and thetake-up lever 9 tightens the knot in the fabric.

The machine is provided with a control program which, for example, isstored in a processor C. Further the sewing machine has an availablememory M, preferably being accommodated in the machine, although thememory M as well may be external and accessible from the processor C. Inthe memory M the sewing machine sewing elements for composingembroideries may be stored in the form of stitch data. A display 11 isprovided, on which the images representing embroidery elements can bedisplayed to a user.

As an example of use of sewing elements, in FIG. 1 is also shown anembroidery frame 20 arranged with the sewing machine. A piece of fabric2 is stretched in the embroidery frame 20. The piece of fabric 2 is onlysymbolically shown, thereby in the figure covering only a part of theembroidery frame and illustrated by means of dashed lines to make thearrangement more illustrative. The embroidery frame 20 is attached to enembroidery unit controlled by the processor C, wherein said embroideryunit includes a first feeding means operated by a first step motor (notshown) for operating the embroidery frame in an x-direction. Theembroidery frame 20 is in a corresponding manner attached to a secondfeeding means of the embroidery unit and correspondingly operated by asecond step motor (not shown) operating the embroidery frame in ay-direction. By a control of the first and second step motors withsignals from the processor C the embroidery frame 20, along with thehoused stretched piece of fabric, may be steered to be displaced in anarbitrary direction in the xy-plane.

Sewing elements 10 can be recovered from the memory and displayed on thedisplay 11 of the sewing machine. A sewing element 10 can as analternative be designed by a user directly on the display 11, whereuponthe sewing element 10 is stored in the memory M as a stitch data object.An aspect of the present invention is to enable editing and manipulatingsaid sewing element 10 or a group of sewing elements 10 before they aresewn on the fabric 2. In FIG. 1 a computer mouse 21 is furtherillustrated. A user of the sewing machine may use the computer mouse 21for performing manipulations of the sewing elements 10 in combinationwith the actions according to the present embodiments of the inventionas will be discussed below.

A sewing element 10 is defined as a stitch data object, being at leastone element of any one from the group of: a pattern, a pattern sequence,a design, an embroidery character, a sew character.

When conventional embroidery is performed in an embroidery machine ofthe discussed type, the machine controls the movements of the embroideryframe fully according to stitch data stored in the memory M of thesewing machine according to all aspects concerning stitch types, sewingdirections, and so on, according to prior art.

According to prior art, there is known to use a plurality of buttons andvalue windows to achieve the operations necessary when editing sewingelements 10, such as 20 buttons, or more, for different functions andoperations. FIG. 2 shows an example of an embodiment of the presentinvention, wherein all necessary operations related to editing by meansof the described operations: movement, rotation, scaling and panning ofthe sewing elements 10 involved in an editing process can beaccomplished by means of the use of 9 touch buttons only. Theseexemplified buttons are four toggle buttons 31 to 34 for setting animage editing function, in this case one of: movement, rotation, scalingand panning, and a selector group 35, in this case containing 5 separatebuttons 35 a-35 e arranged in a pattern recognized as navigationbuttons.

The identified buttons are in the specific example performed asgraphical elements on a display area, which preferably is arranged as awindow 30 of the display 11, when an editing mode is chosen on thesewing machine. All buttons are thus represented as touch buttons on thewindow 30 and can be operated by means of a pressure from a finger or astylus. Of course, there would be possible to arrange the identifiedbuttons 31 to 35 by means of mechanically operated buttons, but in thatcase the buttons would occupy space on the sewing machine exterior.Anyhow, the present invention includes all kind of buttons, wherein theterm button shall include all kinds of operating means performing theselecting operations according to the claims.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, there is above the selector group35 arranged a value window 36, wherein the values shown in said valuewindow 36 adapt its values and appearance according to the base functionselected by the toggle buttons 31-34. The middle button 35 e of theselector group 35 adapts its function in correspondence to the selectedbase function. The use of the buttons and the editing possibilities willbe described as follows with one base function at a time.

Movement

One or several sewing elements 10 visible on the display 11 areselected. Base function “movement” is chosen by operating toggle button31. As a result of said operating the selector group 35 will adapt itsappearance as shown in FIG. 2, wherein the symbols displayed on theseparate image editing buttons 35 a-35 e pop up as directional pointers.Regarding editing the sewing elements (herein sometimes called objects)when related to movement, this can as an alternative be performed byselecting the objects by utilizing a form of a coordinate sensor, suchas a computer mouse, a joystick, a stylus, etc., herein called a controlmeans and exemplified by a computer mouse 21, then capturing the desiredobject/objects and move it/them to the desired position on the display.By use of the image editing buttons 35 a-35 e the objects are moved todesired positions and can be fine adjusted by use of any of the imageediting buttons 35 a-35 e in a desired direction corresponding to thedirection illustrated by the pointer on the respective button. Theposition of the selected object is shown in the value window 36 abovethe selector group 35, in this case displaying positions, horizontallyand vertically) in a coordinate system related to the image of thedisplay 11. The centre button 35 e adapts its function in relation tothe selected base function and in the case of “movement base function”moves the selected object to the centre of the working area of thedisplay.

Rotation

One or several sewing elements 10 visible on the display 11 areselected. Base function “rotation” is chosen by operating toggle button32. As a result of said operating the selector group 35 will adapt itsappearance as shown in FIG. 3, wherein the pop up indicators on theimage editing buttons in the rotation mode are displayed on the buttons,wherein the left button 35 d, indicated with a left directed arrowcorresponds to rotation of the object counterclockwise. The right button35 b, in this mode, indicated with a right directed arrow, rotates theobject clockwise when being operated. Editing the object(s) selected canbe performed either by utilizing a control means 21 (e.g. mouse orstylus as mentioned) for manipulating the selected object by rotating itby use of the control means or by utilizing fine adjustment using any ofimage editing buttons 35 b and 35 d as indicated, or a combination ofboth methods. The centre image editing button 35 e displaying, in thismode, a 90 degree angle will, self-explanatory, rotate the object 90degrees when being operated. Also in this case the figures shown in thevalue window 36 adapt to the selected mode, and accordingly displays theangle of rotation being carried out.

Scaling

One or several sewing elements 10 visible on the display 11 areselected. Base function “scaling” is chosen by operating toggle button33. As a result of said operating the selector group 35 will, in thismode, adapt its appearance as shown in FIG. 4. The uppermost button 35a, in this mode, will magnify the view of the selected elements on thedisplay, when operated, while the lowermost button 35 c will reduce thescale, such that the view of the selected elements are reduced whenoperated. Scaling the object(s) selected can be performed either byutilizing a control means 21 (e.g. mouse or stylus as mentioned) formanipulating the selected object(s) by scaling it/them by use of thecontrol means (made by dragging a corner or a drag point indicated onthe selected object) or by utilizing fine adjustments by use of any ofimage editing buttons 35 b and 35 d as indicated, or a combination ofboth methods. The centre button 35 e displays, in this mode, a padlockindicating that the scaling can be switched between proportional(locked) and unproportional (unlocked) scaling, when the scaling centrebutton is operated, i.e. the centre button 35 e of the selector group35. Correspondingly, in this case the figures shown in the value window36 adapt to the selected mode, and accordingly displays themagnification factor of the selected original object(s) horizontally andvertically, respectively. It should be noted here that the icons of thebuttons 35 a-35 d change their appearance when the unproportionalscaling is selected by the operation of the centre button 35 e. In thismode it is possible to scale the object(s) horizontally and verticallyindependently of each other. The buttons 35 a, 35 c are in this modeused for scaling vertically, which is self-explanatory illustrated byvertically directed arrow icons popping up on said vertically alignedbuttons 35 a, 35 c. The buttons 35 b, 35 d are used for scalinghorizontally, which is self-explanatory illustrated by horizontallydirected arrow icons popping up on said horizontally aligned buttons 35b, 35 d.

Panning

When the panning mode (one of the base functions) is chosen, thepreviously performed selection of the object(s) is kept. The appearanceof the selector group 35 will change to the look according to FIG. 5. Inthis embodiment the buttons of the selector group 35 disclose iconscorresponding to the four directions horizontally and vertically. Theuser can perform the panning either by dragging the object(s) either bydragging it/them by utilizing the control means 21 or by using the fineadjustment by operating any of image editing buttons 35 a-35 d. Thecentre button 35 e could according to one embodiment be used forreturning to the original position of the object(s).

1. A method for editing images representing sewing elements (10) on adisplay (11) of a sewing machine (1) for manipulating images of sewingelements (10) to be sewn on a fabric (2) arranged at the sewing machine(1), the method including the steps of: displaying at least one sewingelement (10) image on said display (11), selecting at least one of saidat least one sewing element (10) image, selecting an image editingfunction among a predetermined number of base editing functions,setting, by said selecting of an image editing function, members (35a-35 e) of a selector group (35) to toggle to operate manipulatorfunctions corresponding to said selected base function, manipulatingsaid selected image of a sewing element (10) according to the selectedbase function by operating at least one of said members (35 a-35 e) ofsaid selector group (35).
 2. The method according to claim 1, furtherincluding the step of: setting said base functions to incorporate atleast one from the group of: movement of the selected sewing element(10) on the display, rotation of the selected sewing element (10),scaling the selected sewing element (10), panning around on the display(11).
 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further including thesteps of: arranging each base editing function to be represented by atoggle button (31-34).
 4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, furtherincluding the step of: arranging said selector group (35) to includemanipulator buttons (35 a-35 e) for one of: moving one or a group ofselected sewing element (10) images in a predetermined direction.rotating one or a group of selected sewing element (10) images anarbitrary angle. scaling one or a group of selected sewing element (10)images arbitrarily up or down in size. panning the display (11) in apredetermined direction, while keeping the selection of sewing element(10) images.
 5. A-human machine interface arranged on a sewing machine(1) for editing images representing sewing elements (10) on a display(11) associated with the sewing machine (1) for manipulating images ofsewing elements (10) to be sewn on a fabric (2) arranged in the sewingmachine (1), characterized in that associated with said display (11) is:a control member (21) for selecting one or a group of sewing element(10) images on said display (11), a predetermined number of basefunction selectors (31-34)for toggling between said base functions, aselector group (35) including selector group members (35 a-35 e) foroperating manipulator functions corresponding to said selected basefunction.
 6. The human machine interface according to claim 5, whereinsaid base function selectors (31-34) are performed as toggle buttons. 7.The human machine interface according to claim 6, wherein said basefunctions represents at least on of: movement of the selected sewingelement (10) on the display, rotation of the selected sewing element(10), scaling the selected sewing element (10), panning around on thedisplay(11), and said base function being assigned a specific togglebutton (31-34).
 8. The human machine interface according to claim 7,wherein each toggle button (31-34) sets an operative function of theselector group (35).
 9. The human machine interface according to claim8, wherein said selector group members (35 a-35 e), in dependence of theset operative function of the selector group (35), are represented bybuttons (31-34) for any one of: moving one or a group of selected sewingelement (10) images in a predetermined direction. rotating one or agroup of selected sewing element (10) images an arbitrary angle, scalingone or a group of selected sewing element (10) images arbitrarily up ordown in size. panning the display (11) in a predetermined direction,while keeping the selection of sewing element (10) images.
 10. The humanmachine interface according to any of the preceding claims, wherein avalue window (36) is arranged in a relationship to said selector group(35) for displaying figures related to the manipulation performed withrespect to the selected base function.
 11. A sewing machine (1) providedwith the human machine interface according to claim 5.